Maraga warns IEBC: 2027 could be Kenya’s toughest election yet
By Faith Lagat, September 15, 2025Former Chief Justice David Maraga has called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure free and fair elections in 2027, describing the upcoming polls as among the most competitive in Kenya’s history.
Speaking during an interview on a local radio station on September 15, 2025, Maraga stressed the importance of electoral integrity.
Maraga outlined practical steps he believes the IEBC should take to enhance transparency.
“All IEBC have to do is simply follow the laws. Every polling station should not have more than 700 people, and if it is the 700, how much time is it for them to be done with voting? Hardly an hour or two, this will help to curb a lot,” he said.
He also proposed that vote counting should be conducted openly, suggesting, “While counting, I know that Gen Z’s will be there to make sure that every candidate gets their right votes, the forms that are thereafter filled, I suggest that they should be even mounted on the walls, and photos taken for transparency, to avoid getting results contrary to the forms filled.”
Voter registration
Maraga earlier criticised the IEBC for suspending continuous voter registration, a requirement under Article 88(4)(a) of the 2010 Constitution. He accused the commission of disenfranchising millions of young Kenyans since 2022, stating, “The Commission cannot continue picking and choosing which of its constitutional duties to undertake based on political patronage.”
He urged the immediate resumption of voter registration and faster issuance of national IDs, emphasising, “I call on the youth to ensure that you have your national ID and register to vote. Your power is in your ID and your vote.”
Apart from Maraga, DCP leaders had also urged IEBC to ensure fairness in voter registration.
Partisan concerns
Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka echoed Maraga’s concerns, warning the IEBC against partisanship. Speaking at the Inter-Party Cooperation For The Young Generation Forum on September 10, 2025, he said, “We are telling IEBC as well not to be partisan. We are watching.”
Kalonzo also questioned the early procurement of election materials, noting that the CEO procured materials before the new commission was in place. In response, IEBC Commissioner Alutalala Mukhwana reassured the public of the system’s integrity, stating, “It is not practical, it is not possible for any politician to steal an election in this country,” and emphasised the role of election managers in safeguarding the process.
Maraga’s remarks come amid heightened public scrutiny of the IEBC as Kenya approaches the 2027 elections, with calls for transparency, accountability, and youth participation intensifying.